Clippers owner shocks the NBA

Clippers owner Donald Sterling was heard on the hit show TMZ making extremely offensive comments to his girlfriend, V. Stiviano. After posting a photo of herself with former Lakers star Magic Johnson on Instagram, Stiviano was berated by Sterling. The Clippers owner did not want Stiviano to “broadcast that [she’s] associating with black people”, as heard on his audio recording. Sterling remarked to her ,”I want you to love them (African Americans) privately.”

It’s obvious that Sterling is not fond of minorities, but this has been known for years. The owner has had a deep history of racism, in particular in his dispute with former Lakers star Elgin Baylor. The Clippers have been well-aware of his beliefs, but they “are not trying to win a championship for Sterling, they are trying to win a championship for themselves”, ESPN analyst Steven A. Smith reports.

The question now becomes what are the consequences of such putrid comments? Many expect a temporary suspension of Sterling from team ownership, but many are contemplating the possibility of forcing the long time owner to sell the team. The legality of such a proposition is questionable, but the idea is still on the table. First year NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expected to flex his authoritative muscles in the punishments handed down to Sterling in order to prove himself to skeptics around the league. There is much more to come from this incident, as the NBA begins to piece together a solution to this chaotic mishap.